ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. squash — the sport
  3. squash — to crush
  4. wind — moving air
  5. mug — to rob
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. wind — moving air
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. object — a thing
  11. mug — a cup
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. mug — a face
  15. face — to point toward
  16. stand — to bear
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. face — to confront
  19. face — part of the head
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. firm — a company
  22. object — an aim
  23. object — to protest
  24. firm — steady

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com